A former California family who thought about surviving, not just "prepping", has taken the plunge. Follow them on their new adventures in Colorado through their trials and tribulations

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Damaged truck and last travel for a while

Last night we went over to Oldest Daughter's home for dinner. It was dark and rainy outside but inside was toasty warm because they had been cooking and baking all day. We had just finished eating when one of the grandson's came in and said he looked out his window and saw someone hanging around my truck. Son-in-law jumped up and so did I. He opened the door just as one of the neighbors was walking up the walkway. There's been an accident. He was backing up his truck and trailer all the way down the street when the trailer veered a little. Being dark and rainy he didn't notice my truck. The trailer smacked it. The passenger door on the drivers side and the bed of the pickup are dented. There a large scratch on the drivers door too. I never saw his truck and trailer. After he hit my truck he drove it home and then walked back to see the damage and let us know.We didn't stay too much longer after that. I got home and put Girl and Boy to bed and gave the insurance company a call. I sure like working with my insurance company and I have the option of working with them and letting them deal with the other insurance or me dealing with the other insurance. I'll deal with my own folks thanks. Today I took the truck to the body shop. They'll send me an estimate, not that it matters. I just want them to fix it. I'll bring the truck back in sometime next week for them to start the repairs. They said it will take a couple of weeks to complete the job. My truck may be 12 years old but it doesn't look like it and I want this repair to make it look new once again.The grand kids were surprised that I wasn't angry at the neighbor. No, I told them I wasn't angry at all. The guy wasn't drinking or distracted. He just blew it but took full responsibility. No excuses. Nobody and nothing was hurt except my truck. It's just going to be an inconvenience having to bring it to the shop for the estimate and then repair. I'll get a rental to use so I'm not without transportation at any time. Just a couple hours of my time. Not worth getting angry over. Last night I was thinking about the accident though. I didn't get angry. But, what if the driver was one of the grand kids? I'd probably be pissed. I'd probably complain that they were lousy drivers, distracted, grounded for life, etc. Why do we give more leeway to strangers than our own family? I don't know. I guess this is something I have to file in the brain and then pull out when Girl or Boy gets into an accident! This weekend is my last bit of travel with my job. Then I'm retiring. At least from the state. My new job, in the private sector, starts on Monday. Gee, I get home on Sunday afternoon and I start the next day. That wasn't very good timing. I'm still on the books with the old job until just after the first of the year so for two weeks I'm going to make double pay. That will be great! I have to turn the truck, computer, cell phone, Internet connection, camera, GPS, and lots of other equipment in at the end of the month. Thanks Max in Colorado for the computer so I don't have to buy one of those. The only other equipment I will need to get is Internet here at the house because I have several of each of the other pieces of equipment. I'm still trying to figure out what Internet service to get. When we go down to San Diego this weekend sister is going to have a get together. I've been "ordered" to bring some of my hot sauce and salsa. I spent this evening making more. I thought I had made plenty to give out this holiday season but I was wrong. I didn't have any left, not even for our own use. Right now my nose is burning. I cut up the hot peppers this morning and soaked them in vinegar all day. This evening I whorled the entire batch into a wonderful green liquid and poured it into the bottles and capped them off. At some point I touched the bottom of my nose. It still stinging an hour later. I'm going to leave Girl and Boy down in San Diego next week so my first week on the job I don't have to worry about the kids. Since they are off school for three weeks they may as well have fun. At the end of the week (I think the 20th) sister and brother-in-law are going to bring them back home. Next weekend we will all go up to the bug-out place to insulate the house. Perfect timing to be at the bug-out place on 12-21-12, don't you think? I'm not expecting anything major to happen around here, but there are some crazy people in crazy places in the country and I am glad I won't be around them!

2 comments:

Sorry about the truck. 12 years old? That's using resources well. We have two options for internet here. Sometimes spotty service with great customer service or better service with horrendous customer service. We've used both and wish there was a third option to try.I haven't thought much about 12-21-12, but you bring up a good point about the crazies. Some people need little reason to do stupid things.

About Me

With over 19 years working on our preps and after having a created a fully prepared 5 acres in the Great Central Valley of California, we up and moved to a very small town in Colorado. We are now on 35 acres with no fruit trees, no garden, a home that isn't finished, and no job. Sounds like paradise, or at least it will be. Lots of work to do. How much time do I have before there's no time left?
We still have food storage and lots of provisions, but are not in any way self sufficient...yet. Follow us on our new adventure. Perhaps you'll learn something from us and from your comments we can learn something from you.